Hundreds of Greenlanders gathered Friday outside a new US consulate in the capital Nuuk to protest Donald Trump’s ambitions to exert more influence over the island.

The protest comes at the end of a week in which the US president’s special envoy to Greenland, Jeff Landry, made his first visit to the territory, which is partially autonomous under Denmark.

“Our government has already told Donald Trump and his administration that Greenland is not for sale,” said Aqqalukkuluk Fontain, the organizer of the protest.

The opening of the new consulate and Landry’s visit come in a period of efforts to reduce diplomatic tensions, following demands by the US president to have control over the island for national security reasons.

The crowd of several hundred people marched through the city center. shouting “Greenland is for Greenlanders”.

“Our message is for the American people and the rest of the world,” Fontain, 37, told the BBC. “In a democratic world, no means no”.

Among the protesters, Inge Bisgaard told the BBC that Landry’s visit showed a lack of respect. “It’s very important to show that this is not OK.”

“We are afraid of the United States. People were just recovering from the last time in January, when it all started again,” she said, referring to Trump’s statements to “own” Greenland.

Source: prizrenpost